Switch-operator.



J. F. HOLSCLAWL swncn OPERATOR. 4 APPLICATION FILED [WV- 7. I91]- Patented 13, I918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 oumnsmuamm o. c.

.I. ,F. HOLSCLAW.

SWITCH OPERATOR.

PPLICATION FILED NOV. 7' 1917 1,275,428. I 'Patented .13,191s.

2 sn ssnm 2.

JOHN F. HOLSGLAW, or ALBIA, IOWA.

SWITCH-OPERATOR.

To all whom, it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, JOHN F. a citizen of the United States, Albia, in the county-of Monroeand State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operators, of

HoLscLAw,

' which the following-is a specification;

This invention relates to switch operating devices, more particularlyto the switches of trolley or street car lines, and-has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character which may be operated by the motorman or other person upon thecar and without stopping the car. r Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be arranged externally of the rails or between the rails without materialstructural change either in the mechanism upon the car or the switch actuating mechanism.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and thenspecifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings .illustra-' tive of the preferred embodiment of the invention the switch operating mechanism Figure 1 is a plan view of a conventional trolley or street car line switch with the improvement applied externally of the rails.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a trolley orstreetcar, illustrating the construction of; the car carried portion of the apparatus. V J

Fig. 3 is an end view of the parts shown inFig.2. Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail illustrating-the constructionof the shipper lever.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig.1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.1 showing.

midway between the rails. I

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar'to a portion of F'g. 6 showing the switch operating mechanism arranged just inside the switch rail.

The improved deviceis designed more particularly for operating the switches of trolley and street car lines, and for illustration is shown thus applied, but it will be obvious that the improved device may be" adapted for steam railroads by making a" v Specification of Iietters Patent. Patented Aug. 13 1918.

Application filed November 7, 1917. Serial No. 200,817.

residing at 7 arranged few minor and unimportant changes in the details of the construction. '7 j In-the ordinary trolley or street car lines the switch rail or V ventionally atlO, is in the form of a relatrvely long bar tapered toward one end and plvoted at 11 in a seat in a relatively heavy base member 12,. with one ofthe main line point, represented con 7 rails 13 abutting against the member 12. At i 1 7 its free end'the switch rail lO is adapted to be seated ina socket 15 when in closed position as shown F igs.'6'and 8. The

mam line rail 17 abutting against the frog device. One of the siding rails 18 abuts against the ends of the base member 12 of theswitch, while the other siding rail 19 abuts against the frog 16 as shown in Figs. 1 and '6. The switch bars 10 are usually manually operated eitherby a switchman or the motorman or conductor, of the apin Fig. 1, and into a similar socket 14: when'in open position'as shown in v frog is represented at 16, of the usual construction withthe other proaching car, and whenmanipulated' by the conductor or motorman the car must be stopped before 'it passes the switch, and again after the car passes the switch to enable the conductor or motorman to reset the switch bar'before passing onward. The device which is the subject matter of the present application is designed to enable'the motorman or other attendant toactuate the switch from the car and without stopping the car, and dispensing with a switch -at-' tendant. The improved device includes an actuating bar 20 pivoted at one end as shown at:21,'and preferably diverging toward the free end as shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 8. Whenthe operatingv bar 20 is located externally of the rails,

rails adjacent to the base member 12 forms a base member 22is provided which may be integral with the member 12,

When thus another stop or guide at the opposite side of thebar 20 from the stop rail 23, and also Spaced from the pivoted end of the bar, as shown in Fig. '1'. 20 is coupled to the switch rail 10 by a rod devic 24, the latter being pivotally united respectively at 25'26'tothe members 10 and20. The rod 24 extends downwardly Near its free end the bar and beneath the base members 12 or 22, as the case may be, and as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7 The base member 12 is provided with a transverse slot 27 where the coupling member 2a is located, while the extension 22 is likewise provided with a similar slot 28, to permit free play to the bars 10 and 20. lVhen the switch operating device is located between the rails, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the supporting member22 will be coupled directly to the supporting ties and located at any point between the rails, and the coupling member 24; increased in length, but otherwise the mechanism is substantially the same whether the operating device be located externally of the rails or between the rails.

When the bar 20 is located between the rails, a second stop rail 23 will be employed as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. Gonvergingrecesses are thus formed at opposite sides of the bar 20, the object to be hereafter explained.

By this arrangement it will be obvious that if the member 20 be caused to move laterally upon its pivot 21 the free end ofthe switch bar 10 will be moved a corresponding distance. Thus when the member 20 is in one position as shown in Fig. 1, the switch bar 10 will be maintained in closed position to guide the car upon the main line, and if the member 20 be reversed in position, the switch bar 10 will be moved into open position as shown in Fig. 6.

The mechanism for actuating the member 20 is mounted upon the approaching car, and comprises a radius bar 29 pivoted at one end at 30 to the framework of the car, the latter indicated conventionally at 31.. Pivoted at 32 to the framework of the car is an operating lever 33 passing up through the deck of the car in convenient positionfor the motorman. At its lower end the lever 33 is rovided with a lateral offset or arm 3% coupled by a pivoted link 35 to the member 29. The member 29 supports a disk 36 at its free end preferably with its edge relatively sharp or V-shaped as shown in Fig. 3. By this arrangement it will be obvious that'when the lever member 33 is moved longitudinally of the car in ,one' direction, the rod or support 29 and the disk 36 carried thereby will be elevated, or maintained in inoperative position and when moved in the opposite direction, the disk will be depressed.

The member 29 is arranged to be moved laterally as well as vertically to so adjust the disk 36 as to cause it to pass to either side of the pivoted end of the bar 20, and an approved means of accomplishing this result is illustrated in Fig. 4, consisting in so forming the bracket 38 whereby the lever 33 is cou- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the By thls arrangement, it will be obvious that if the lever 33 be moved laterally in one direction at the same time that it is moved longitudinally of the ear to depress the disk, the latter will be caused to enter the space indicated at 37 between the member 20 and the guard rib 23, and then as the car moves forward the disk will engage the member 20 and throw the latter over to one side and thus operate the switch bar 10 and move it into the position shown in Fig. 3, and thus cause the car-to run upon the siding.

Then if the lever 33 be moved in the opposite direction at the same time that it is moved to depress the disk, the latter will also be moved laterally and caused to enter the space indicated at 39, between the bar20 and the adjacent edge of the base 12 or the rib 23' as-the case may be, and throw'the bar over in the opposite direction and close the switch to conduct the car upon the main line.

Thus if the switch is set for the siding and an approaching car is to go on the main line, the motorman can throw the switch to the required position by properly manipulating the lever 33.

The improved device is simple in construction and can be attached to cars of various sizes and construction without ma terial structural change, and may be located upon any portion of the car to adapt the device to the location of the switch actuating mechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a switch operating device, a base member, guide ribs rising from the base in spaced relation and approaching each other intermediate the ends, and a switch bar adaptedto be coupled to a switch point and pivoted at one end between the terminals of the ribs with its free end pointed and terminating near the nearest approach of the ribs, whereby converging approaches are provided at both ends of the bar.

.2. The combination with a railway'switch including a movable point member, of a base member, guide ribs rising from the base in spaced relation and approaching each other intermediate the ends, and a switch bar adapted to be coupled to a switch point and pivoted at one end between the terminals of the ribs with its free end pointed and terminating near the nearest approach of the ribs, whereby converging approaches are provided at both ends of the bar.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

JOHN F. HOLSGLAW. [1 a] Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. U. 

